Studying Time: 8 minutes
In India, progress doesn’t transfer in a straight line. It zigzags.
Tens of millions of individuals scroll, swipe, and faucet their approach by means of day by day life on smartphones. However just some streets away, many others nonetheless depend on characteristic telephones to recharge, message, and join. That is the day by day actuality for companies attempting to interact an viewers that lives each on-line and offline on the similar time.
And this duality is greater than an infrastructure problem. It’s a belief problem. It’s about entry. And greater than something, it’s about how manufacturers scale personalization in a market the place shopper conduct isn’t one-size-fits-all.
That is the backdrop towards which we sat down with Varun Das, Govt Vice President and Chief Product Officer at Airtel Digital, throughout our current MoEngage #GROWTH Mixer in Delhi. With Airtel serving over 400 million prospects and working one of many largest discipline and retail networks in India, Varun lives with this complexity daily.
With over 400 million prospects and considered one of India’s largest bodily networks, Airtel isn’t simply observing this shift—it’s actively reshaping how buyer engagement works at scale.
And the shift is simple. As Varun put it:
“Pre-2020… about 30% of pay as you go recharges occurred on-line. Now it’s at 67%.”
The pandemic didn’t simply push prospects on-line—it compelled companies to rethink what engagement really means when screens and storefronts should work collectively. The true query isn’t about going digital or staying bodily. It’s: How do you create a seamless expertise that respects each?
This isn’t a narrative of digital transformation. It’s a Phygital Revolution—the place the bodily and digital aren’t at odds, however in sync.
Understanding the Indian Buyer’s Advanced Digital Journey
Step onto any avenue in India—Mumbai, Lucknow, doesn’t matter—and also you’ll see a digital paradox play out in actual time. A meals supply employee flawlessly toggling between a number of apps regardless of little formal schooling. A grandparent scrolls by means of WhatsApp, exploring options with curiosity, however wants a nudge from time to time—a time-starved skilled demanding zero-friction service, with no persistence for lag or complexity.
Greater than range, it’s a collision of digital realities—exactly what makes India’s digital transformation in contrast to every other.
To serve this diversified panorama, Airtel couldn’t afford assumptions. So, they launched a framework that strikes past age teams, earnings brackets, or tiered cities. It’s easy but brutally efficient: Digital Affinity, literacy, and time.
“India is dynamic, extremely numerous,” Varun stated. “These three axes assist us perceive not simply who our buyer is, however how they behave digitally.”
The end result? Dramatically completely different wants.
- A tech-savvy however busy skilled needs frictionless, predictive service, like Airtel’s proactive community alerts earlier than one thing breaks.
- A low-literacy, high-affinity buyer advantages from visible onboarding, explainer movies, and guided app flows.
- A moderate-tech buyer with restricted time may start on-line however depend on assisted channels, like human callbacks or retailer visits, to complete the duty.
What makes Airtel’s method stand out isn’t simply the perception—it’s the operational readability. They don’t attempt to push each buyer right into a digital-only funnel. They design versatile journeys, aligning every step to the shopper’s conduct, not some hypothetical persona.
That’s why Airtel continues to develop its digital self-service capabilities and preserve bodily shops lively. It’s why their IVR programs are getting smarter even because the app evolves quickly. It’s not indecision.
It’s deliberate channel flexibility, rooted in how India actually lives, works, and connects.
Information because the Engine of Actual Personalization
In a rustic of over a billion, “personalization” might sound like a buzzword. Airtel treats it like an operational requirement.
Right here’s what that appears like in follow:
A technician reveals as much as repair a gradual connection. In most corporations, this might be a fundamental transactional repair. Airtel takes it additional. As a result of the system is aware of this buyer streams 4K video, it suggests bandwidth optimization, not blindly, however as a result of the info backs it up. On the similar time, if the shopper has had a poor expertise recently—frequent outages, delayed responses—the tech is aware of not to upsell. The go to turns into considered one of empathy, not simply service.
That is contextual intelligence in motion.
Each interplay—digital or human—is knowledgeable by an entire view of the shopper’s journey: not simply what they clicked however how they felt, what went mistaken final time, and what may assist them subsequent time.
However—and that is crucial—Airtel doesn’t simply wield knowledge. It respects it.
“With nice knowledge comes nice duty,” Varun famous.
That’s why Airtel’s improvements, just like the spam-call detection system, aren’t about extracting worth from prospects—they’re about defending them. The system analyzes billions of name patterns—to not promote, however to defend customers from harassment, fraud, and undesirable noise. In a market the place digital literacy varies dramatically, this sort of accountable knowledge use isn’t simply good follow—it’s desk stakes.
The larger lesson right here? Having extra knowledge isn’t the sting. Translating it into actual, useful, human experiences is. And in Airtel’s case, these experiences are stitched into each touchpoint—on-line, offline, and every thing in between.
The Unified Buyer Expertise: The place MarTech Connects the Dots
Buyer digital journeys don’t observe clear funnels—they zigzag. A buyer may browse broadband plans on the app throughout a metro trip, name help throughout lunch, and finalize the acquisition at a retailer that night. Every interplay issues. However until these touchpoints are related, the massive image by no means types.
That’s the place MarTech turns into mission-critical—not as a advertising and marketing nice-to-have, however because the connective tissue of buyer expertise at scale.
Airtel doesn’t simply function a web site and an app. It orchestrates seven full-stack customer-facing channels—retail shops, IVR, internet, cellular app, WhatsApp, social media, and discipline ops. With out a unifying layer, these channels change into silos. With the best MarTech spine, they change into synchronized devices.
“If I stroll right into a retailer and specific curiosity in a product, after which name help later from residence, it is best to know precisely the place that dialog left off,” Varun shared. “That’s the omnichannel ecosystem. That’s how you change intent—as a result of buyer intent has a shelf life.”
This perception is sharp and actual. Within the broadband house, the distinction between a lead and a conversion usually boils all the way down to hours, not days. The second somebody’s able to improve their plan, delay or friction throughout channels kills momentum—and the sale.
So as an alternative of constructing each digital functionality in-house, Airtel made a strategic resolution: accomplice the place it is sensible.
Platforms like MoEngage can energy key layers of the shopper engagement stack, permitting the corporate to remain laser-focused on its core mission—connectivity—whereas nonetheless delivering hyper-personalized experiences at scale.
“I have to go to market quick. I could not have a functionality immediately, and I don’t have the posh to attend,” Varun famous. “That’s the place MarTech platforms play a crucial function—particularly when your core enterprise isn’t constructing digital instruments from scratch.”
This readability on when to construct and when to accomplice is usually lacking in enterprise digital technique. Too many corporations get distracted attempting to construct every thing, solely to fall brief on execution and buyer delight.
Airtel’s revamped missed name notification system is a textbook case of getting it proper.
The legacy SMS-based system had insufficient engagement, with solely ~2% learn charges. Airtel flipped the mannequin. By tapping into network-level knowledge and layering on multichannel orchestration, they began delivering real-time, context-aware notifications by means of the app or most well-liked buyer channels.
The end result? Increased learn charges, higher re-engagement, and a smoother expertise for thousands and thousands, with out spending years constructing a customized system from scratch.
That’s the facility of sensible MarTech integration and instruments like Buyer Information and Engagement Platforms (i.e., CDEPs)—not only for campaigns or promotions however as an operational spine for relevance, pace, and conversion throughout your complete buyer journey.
Personalization at Scale: The Want for Clever Engagement
These days, prospects demand customized, related experiences throughout each interplay. Nonetheless, delivering true personalization at scale isn’t straightforward. With so many touchpoints, channels, and knowledge sources, how can corporations create seamless, individualized experiences for every buyer?
The Problem of Managing Advanced Buyer Journeys
Take into consideration the journey of a typical buyer: they may start exploring merchandise on a cellular app, search help by way of a contact middle, analysis on the web site, and finally make a purchase order in-store. Every of those touchpoints offers useful insights, however provided that they’re correctly built-in and related. The problem is evident—how do you tie all these interactions collectively right into a cohesive, customized journey?
The truth is that personalization goes far past merely figuring out a buyer’s title. It requires understanding their behaviors, preferences, and intents after which utilizing that data to drive real-time, contextual engagement. This stage of sophistication calls for extra than simply knowledge assortment—it requires actionable insights that may be acted on rapidly and successfully throughout a number of platforms.
The Function of Information-Pushed Engagement
As companies develop, the complexity of managing buyer engagement multiplies. You want instruments that observe buyer behaviors and predict future actions based mostly on previous interactions. This permits companies to interact proactively and ship the best messages on the proper time, regardless of the channel.
To really personalize at scale, companies have to:
- Monitor buyer conduct throughout each channel.
- Use knowledge to foretell future actions and preferences.
- Ship related messages on the proper time and on the best platform.
It’s not nearly accumulating knowledge; it’s about remodeling that knowledge into real-time insights that drive actionable, customized engagement.
That is the place MoEngage steps in.
With MoEngage, companies can:
- Analyze buyer interactions throughout all touchpoints, from cellular to in-store.
- Automate customized messages based mostly on buyer conduct.
- Create an omnichannel expertise, whether or not by means of push notifications, emails, or in-app messages.
MoEngage ensures that corporations can ship contextual, well timed, and related communication throughout each channel, regardless of the place the shopper is of their journey.
Within the subsequent part, we’ll discover how MoEngage makes all of it occur, with real-time insights and a personalised method to engagement that turns each buyer interplay into a chance.
MoEngage in Motion: Reworking Information into Personalised Engagement
The facility of our Buyer Information and Engagement lies in its capacity to leverage knowledge and ship actionable insights that drive customized, significant buyer interactions. So, how does it work in follow? Let’s discover how MoEngage transforms uncooked knowledge into real-time, customer-centric experiences.
1. Unified Buyer Profile
MoEngage begins by making a unified buyer profile that integrates knowledge from all touchpoints. This offers companies a 360-degree view of every buyer’s conduct, preferences, and interactions. Whether or not the shopper engages together with your model by means of a cellular app, web site, or in-store go to, MoEngage captures all related knowledge to construct an entire image.
- Information integration: Pulls collectively data from a number of sources and databases.
- Personalization: Customizes the expertise for every particular person based mostly on their previous interactions.
This unified profile permits manufacturers to maneuver past generic advertising and marketing and make every buyer really feel acknowledged and valued.
2. Behavioral Segmentation
MoEngage excels at behavioral segmentation, the place prospects are grouped based mostly on their actions, reminiscent of app utilization, buy historical past, or searching conduct. By analyzing these behaviors, companies can create extremely focused campaigns.
- Intent-based segmentation: Categorize prospects by their pursuits or intent to take particular actions (e.g., a purchase order or engagement).
- Dynamic updates: As prospects work together together with your model, their section can change in actual time, making certain your communication is at all times related.
For instance, if a buyer frequently browses sure product classes however hasn’t but bought, they are often segmented for a focused low cost provide or a reminder message.
3. Automated Personalization at Scale
Personalization is about extra than simply sending the best message—it’s about sending it on the proper time. MoEngage makes use of AI-driven automation to make sure customized messages are delivered once they matter most.
- Set off-based campaigns: Robotically ship messages when prospects take particular actions, like abandoning a cart or finishing a purchase order.
- Multi-channel supply: Attain prospects by means of the channels they like, whether or not that’s push notifications, emails, or in-app messages.
For example, a buyer who browses merchandise in your app however leaves with out buying may very well be robotically despatched a push notification or e mail with a personalised provide, driving them again to finish the acquisition.
4. Actual-Time Analytics and A/B Testing
MoEngage’s real-time analytics make sure that each message you ship is optimized for achievement. Entrepreneurs can view marketing campaign efficiency in actual time, permitting them to regulate methods on the fly.
- A/B testing: Repeatedly take a look at completely different messaging methods to seek out the simplest method.
- Insights dashboard: Monitor how your prospects are interacting together with your campaigns and use this knowledge to fine-tune future initiatives.
This permits for ongoing optimization, ensuring you’re at all times enhancing your engagement methods.
5. Cross-Channel Orchestration
MoEngage seamlessly integrates throughout channels, making certain a constant expertise for purchasers, whether or not they work together together with your model on cellular, by way of e mail, or by means of in-person service.
- Omnichannel campaigns: Ship constant, customized messages throughout a number of channels with out disrupting the shopper expertise.
- Contextual messaging: Adapt messages based mostly on the place the shopper is of their journey and which machine or platform they’re utilizing.
For instance, a buyer who receives a reduction provide on their cellphone may very well be adopted up with an e mail that gives extra particulars, making a steady, customized expertise.
It’s Time to Join with Your Clients on a Deeper Stage
Buyer engagement immediately isn’t nearly reaching out—it’s about reaching in. No matter whether or not you’re delivering a seamless expertise throughout a number of touchpoints or ensuring your communication is at all times well timed and related, the important thing to long-term success lies in understanding your prospects at a stage that goes past demographics.
MoEngage will get it by empowering companies to create actual, customized connections. By utilizing the best knowledge, on the proper time, on the best channel, companies can drive significant interactions and remodel buyer relationships. The end result? Higher engagement, fewer misplaced alternatives, and finally, higher buyer loyalty.
Able to see the way it all works? Attain out immediately for a demo and see how MoEngage’s CDEP could make a distinction for your corporation.
